Pneumatic-tire deflator.



E. W. STEVENS.

PNEUMATIC TIRE DEFLATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. '9. 191a.

1,256,388. Patented Feb.12,1918

-ZMTM (HQ/736i EDWARD W. STEVENS, OF IQETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN OR 0F ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E.

STEVENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC-TIRE DEFLATOR.

To all whomz't may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD W. STEVENS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have and useful Improvement in Pneumatic-Tire Defiators, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

"This invention relates to pneumatic tire deflators and has as its object the production of a simple and inexpensive device of this character-which may be inserted into the interior of the valve casing to engage the valve stem and unseat the valve. The device is designed to permit the ends thereof to be compressed or brought together and inserted into the valve casing when in this condition,

and to expand and engage the inner wall of the casing, and be held in position therein, when the pressure which brought them together is released.

When the device is in saidlast named position, the valve is'held away from its seat,

' which permits the air to escape and consequently deflates the tire.

The device will be more readily understood withreference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view thereof;

Fig. 2 shows a valvecasing in section, the device applied-thereto and engaging the stem of the valve, holding the same away from its seat;

Fig. '3 is a view of a blank from which the device is formed.

The device is preferably formed of a' small strip of spring steel or the like. This strip is bent upon itself to provide the arms 10 and 11 and the bowspring portion 12, which normally holds said arms in extended position. These arms 10 and 11 are constructed so that they will be of sufficient strength to prevent bending thereof. due to the resistance of the spring 12 while the same is being overcome and the arms are being brought together. To provide for this desired degree of strength each of said arms is provided with a reinforcing rib 13, which extends substantially from the lowermost portion of each of said arms to a short distance beyond where the spring portion Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9, 1916.

invented a certain new Patented Feb. 12,1918. Serial No. 124,537.

begins, thus the possibility of crystalliza- Mon and consequent weakening of the device at this point is eliminated. The spring portion 12 is formed of the material of which the arms are formed, and is prefcrably bent to result in the bowspring 12.

This spring portion 12 may be provided with an eyelet ll which is bent tion which terms the of afl'ordlng up from the pola means whereby the device spring. for the purpose may be attached to a key ring, or for the altachment of a plate upon which an advertisement may he inscribed. The lowermost portion of each of the arms isprovided with a laterally extending lug 15 which when the arms 10 and 11 are expanded engage the internal threads of the valve casing 16. These lugs are preferably formed or bent from the same metal which forms the arms 10 and 11,.

casing.

The device eliminates the necessity of requiring the 'user to give his entire attention to the deflation of the tire by requiring him to hold the valve down and away from its seat, and permits him to utilize this time in some other manner. des red to be inserted in the valve casin 18 to deflate a tire. the arms 10 and 11 will be compressed and inserted into the valve casling 18 to the desired extent. This willzcause the tongue 17 to engage the valve stem 19 and unseat the valve 20. The arms will then be released and expand d by the action of the bnwspring 12. This causes the engagement of the lugs 14 with the internal threads 16 of the valve casing. which holds the device in position, resists the valve spring 22, holds the valve 20 awav from its seat. and permits the tire to be deflated.

It will he understood that changes and modifications may be made without depart- When the device is I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of normally expanded arms, spring means for expanding said arms, an outwardly extending lug provided upon each of said arms and an inwardly extending tongue extending bet 'een said arms.

2. In a device of the clas: described, the combination of a pair of normally expanded arms, spring means for expanding 'said arms, said means connecting said arms an outwardly extending lug provided tupon eachof said arms and an inwardly project ing tongue extending between said arms.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of connected spring actuated normally extended arms, each of said arms having an outwardly extending lug and one of said arms being provided with an inwardly projecting tongue which extends between said arms.

4. A device of the class described, belng formed of a single strip of metal, which is bent substantially U-shape, the ends thereof being bent outwardly to form holding lugs, that portion of said strip at the bend of the U forming a spring whereby the arms are 5. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a pair of arms, integral spring means arranged between said arms,

a lug provided uponeach of said arms, a member arranged between said arms and a rib extending from said lug of each arm to the above mentioned spring means.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of arms, means for expanding said arms, an outwardly extending lug provided upon each ofsaid arms, an inwardly extending member eX- tending between said arms, and means provided in the means for expanding the arms whereby the device may be secured to another member, said means including a down wardly extending strap punched from the material of which the arm expanding member is formed.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of Oct., A. D. 1916. EDWARD W. STEVENS. Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. STE ART, FRED G. WH TE. 

